(Offre en anglais) L’Institut républicain international (IRI) lance un appel à candidatures Retour vers les opportunités

Procurement Number: MENA2017E03o
Open Date: May 23, 2017
Questions Deadline: May 26, 2017
Closing Deadline: June 2, 2017
Geographical Area Restrictions: None
Point of Contact: Brian Braun, Program Officer, bbraun@iri.org

Background

The International Republican Institute (IRI) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, organization dedicated to advancing freedom and democracy worldwide. Since 1983, IRI has worked to develop democratic institutions and ideals, carrying out a variety of international programs to promote freedom, self-government and the rule of law worldwide. IRI provides technical assistance in the areas of political party strengthening, developing civic institutions and open elections, promoting democratic governance and advancing the rule of law.

IRI’s Middle East and North Africa programs assist political parties, civil society and marginalized populations engage in the political process. As part of its programming, IRI works with members of the public policy community across the MENA region to inform the decision-making processes in and outside government. The need to support nascent think tanks in particular is especially important in the region today; space for thoughtful and objective policy debate is narrowing even though such debate is vital to promote the voices of ordinary citizens. Additionally, few resources exist to train researchers and policy makers alike on supporting robust public policy outreach to inform the decision-making process. IRI believes technical assistance to those in the public policy arena will encourage more open and productive dialogue between government and citizens on pressing national and community-level issues.

Period of Performance

June 15, 2017 – March 30, 2018

Statement of Work

Selected contractor will be responsible for the following scope of work:

• Facilitate one (1) training workshop for think tank staff members from the MENA region focused on the following themes:
  • Strategic outreach,
  • Issue framing,
  • Effective communication,
  • Building and managing external relations with government stakeholders,
  • Conducting legislative outreach,
  • Risk identification and mitigation
• Co-host and moderate one (1) policy roundtable for think tank staff members and political party representatives from the MENA region focused on the following themes:
  • The principles of effective policymaking
  • Developing policies that are responsive to public concerns
  • Issue identification
  • Policy advocacy and the legislative process
• To the extent possible, foster an open and inclusive environment for roundtable participants to engage in constructive dialogue with others on policy development.
• Contractor will promote the use of research and public outreach to inform policy debate.
• Distribute and collecting IRI-provided pre- and post-questionnaires during roundtable activities.
• Provide a summary report following the policy roundtable assessing the engagement between think tank staffers and political party representatives. The report should discuss coordination of in-country activities among participants, the promotion of any issue-based public policies and any challenges thereof.
• Travel to training location in Africa for both activities.
• Contractor will AT NO TIME mention its relationship to, or funding by, IRI during the two roundtables or in follow-up consultations with participants.

Technical Proposals

All proposals submitted to IRI must include:

1. Information addressing Bidder’s experience in providing each of the services identified in the above Statement of Work and Bidder’s proposed specific approach for providing those services to IRI under this contract, including sufficient information to determine a clear definition of services as it relates to other providers that may be involved.
2. The name, address, and telephone and facsimile numbers of the Bidder (and electronic address if available). If the Bidder is a firm, name(s) should be provided for individuals authorized to conduct business on behalf of the firm.
3. Bidders may provide a list of up to three references for work performed of a similar nature during the last three years, along with contact details. IRI may contact the references to evaluate past performance.
4. If the Bidder is a U.S. organization/resident, or a foreign organization/resident which has income effectively connected with the conduct of activities in the U.S. or has an office or a place of business or a fiscal paying agent in the U.S., the information submitted must contain Bidder’s Taxpayer Identification Number.
5. Proposals will not exceed 5 pages (not including cover page), and bidder should attach:
   1. a sample summary report from a similar scope of work (not included in the five-page limit) to exhibit past performance; 
   2. a brief risk mitigation plan detailing approach to safeguarding participant identify and anonymity
6. Proposals should specifically highlight the following areas:
   1. Knowledge of political context and challenges in the MENA region
   2. Experience in think thank training and consultations
   3. Number of staff that possess professional fluency in Arabic

Price Proposals

Bidders must propose a firm-fixed Unit Price for each of the deliverables identified below and in the format of the table below. The Bidder’s pricing must be valid for at least 60 (sixty) calendar days after the due date for proposal submission. The proposed Unit Price should be fixed and inclusive of all costs to perform, including meals, incidental costs, inspection services, transportation, taxes, import duties (if any), and other levies. To the extent that a Bidder proposed to include any pricing not reflected in the table below, such pricing must be fully described in the proposal. Proposals must be submitted in US Dollars, payments under any resulting contract will be made in this currency.

IRI will pay directly to the provider for any travel and lodging costs that are incurred in performance of the above SOW.

Evaluation and Award Process

1. IRI may contact any Bidder for clarification or additional information, but Bidders are advised that IRI intends to evaluate the offers based on the written proposals, without discussions, and reserves the right to make decisions based solely on the information provided with the initial proposals. IRI may but is not obligated to conduct additional negotiations with the most highly rated Bidders prior to award of a contract, and may at its sole discretion elect to issue contracts to one or more Bidders.
2. Mathematical errors will be corrected in the following manner: If a discrepancy exists between the total price proposed and the total price resulting from multiplying the unit price by the corresponding amounts, then the unit price will prevail and the total price will be corrected. If there is a discrepancy between the numbers written out in words and the amounts in numbers, then the amount expressed in words will prevail. If the Bidder does not accept the correction, the offer will be rejected.
3. IRI may determine that a proposal is unacceptable if the prices proposed are materially unbalanced between line items or sub-line items. Unbalanced pricing exists when, despite an acceptable total evaluated price, the price of one or more contract line items is significantly overstated or understated as indicated by the application of cost or price analysis techniques. A proposal may be rejected if IRI determines that the lack of balance poses an unacceptable risk.
4. IRI will conduct a source selection based as follows:

IRI intends to make an award to the responsible Bidder based on the following evaluation factors:

i. Technical evaluation, (including technical capabilities, proposed technical approach, and personnel qualifications) – 30 percent

1. Availability of Arabic-speaking staff – 20 percent
2. Proposal demonstrate awareness of and sensitivity toward security challenges to democratic actors in MENA region – 10 percent

ii. Past performance and experience in public policy education and training – 60 percent

1. Contractor has relevant experience in conducting think tank trainings and consultations in MENA region as evidenced by technical approach and sample summary report – 40 percent
2. Institutional knowledge of political and security challenges in MENA region – 20 percent

iii. Price – 10 percent

1. Contractor demonstrates ability to implement scope of work at a reasonable and competitive price – 10 percent IRI intends to evaluate Bidders’ proposals in accordance with these factors and make an award to the responsible Bidder whose proposal is most advantageous to the program.

5. If a cost realism analysis is performed, cost realism may be considered in evaluating performance or price.

RFP Terms and Conditions

1. Prospective Bidders are requested to review clauses incorporated by reference in the section “Notice Listing Contract Clauses Incorporated by Reference”.
2. IRI may reject any or all proposals if such is within IRI’s interest.
3. Proof of costs incurred, such as but not limited to receipts, pictures and financial documents, may be requested during and for up to three years after the end of the contract period.
4. The Bidder’s initial proposal should contain the Bidder’s best offer.
5. Payment will be made upon receipt of invoices and deliverables/services.
6. Discussions with Bidders following the receipt of a proposal do not constitute a rejection or counteroffer by IRI.
7. IRI will hold all submissions as confidential and submissions shall not be disclosed to third parties. IRI reserves the right to share proposals internally, across divisions, for the purposes of evaluating the proposals.
8. For any currency conversion, the exchange rate to US Dollars listed on oanda.com on the closing date of this solicitation shall be used.
9. Every contract will contain provisions governing termination for cause and termination for convenience.
10. By submitting a proposal, offeror agrees to comply with all terms, conditions, and provisions included in the solicitation and agreement to the services identified above, and will specifically identify any disagreement with or exceptions to the terms, conditions, and provisions.
11. Offerors confirm that the prices in the proposal/proposal/application/quote have been arrived at independently, without any consultation, communication, or agreement with any other Bidder or competitor for the purpose of restricting competition.
12. Bidders agree to disclose as part of the proposal submission:
    1. Any close, familial, or financial relationships with IRI staff and agents. For example, the Bidder must disclose if a Bidder’s mother conducts volunteer trainings for IRI.
    2. Any family or financial relationship with other Bidders submitting proposals. For example, if the Bidder’s father owns a company that is submitting another proposal, the Bidder must state this.
    3. Any other action that might be interpreted as potential conflict of interest. 

Notice Listing Contract Clauses Incorporated by Reference

IRI is required to make the contractor subject to certain flowdown clauses of the prime award. This awarded contract will incorporate one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Where “flow-down” to the contractor is applicable, references to “USAID/Department of State” shall be interpreted to mean “IRI”, “Recipient” to mean “Contractor”, and “Subrecipient” to mean “lower-tier subcontractor.”

Included by reference are the applicable provisions contained in Appendix II to 2 CFR Part 200 and USAID Standard Provisions for Non-US Non-governmental Organizations/US Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions.

IRI Obligations

Issuance of this RFP does not constitute an award commitment on the part of IRI, nor does it commit IRI to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a proposal or quotation.

Required Certifications

The following certificates need to be signed by all Bidders. These certifications are an integral part of the quotation/proposal.

Please print them off and send back to us with your proposal after signature on each certificate. They are:

• Certification regarding debarment, suspension, ineligibility and voluntary exclusion lower tier covered transactions
• Authorized Individuals
• Certification Regarding Lobbying

CERTIFICATION REGARDING DEBARMENT, SUSPENSION, INELIGIBILITY AND
VOLUNTARY EXCLUSION LOWER TIER COVERED TRANSACTIONS

This certification implements Executive Order 12549, Debarment and Suspension and the requirements set forth in 2.C.F.R. 180, Subpart C.”

Copies of the regulations may be obtained by contacting the person to which this proposal is submitted.

1. By signing and submitting this proposal/application/quote, the prospective lower tier participant is providing the certification set out below.
2. The certification in this clause is a material representation of fact upon which reliance was placed when this transaction was entered into. If it is later determined that the prospective lower tier participant knowingly rendered an erroneous certification, in addition to other remedies available to the Federal Government, the department or agency with which this transaction originated may pursue available remedies, including suspension and/or debarment.
3. The prospective lower tier participant shall provide immediate written notice to the person to which this proposal/application/quote is submitted if at any time the prospective lower tier participant learns that its certification was erroneous when submitted or has become erroneous by reason of changed circumstances.
4. The terms “covered transaction,” “debarred,” “suspended,” “ineligible,” “lower tier covered transaction,” “participant,” “person,” “primary covered transaction,” “principal,” “proposal,” and “voluntarily excluded,” as used in this clause, have the meanings set out in the Definitions and Coverage sections of the rules implementing Executive Order 12549.
5. The prospective lower tier participant agrees by submitting this proposal/application/quote that, should the proposed covered transaction be entered into, it shall not knowingly enter into any lower tier covered transaction with a person who is debarred, suspended, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this covered transaction, unless authorized by the IRI.
6. The prospective lower tier participant further agrees by submitting this proposal/application/quote that it will include the clause titled “Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion–Lower Tier Covered Transactions,” without modification, in all lower tier covered transactions and in all solicitations for lower tier covered transactions.
7. A participant in a covered transaction may rely upon a certification of a prospective participant in a lower tier covered transaction that it is not debarred, suspended, ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from the covered transaction, unless it knows that the certification is erroneous. A participant may decide the method and frequency by which it determines the eligibility of its principals.
8. Nothing contained in the foregoing shall be construed to require establishment of a system of records in order to render in good faith the certification required by this clause. The knowledge and information of a participant is not required to exceed that which is normally possessed by a prudent person in the ordinary course of business dealings.
9. Except for transactions authorized under paragraph 5 above, if a participant in a covered transaction knowingly enters into a lower tier covered transaction with a person who is suspended, debarred, ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction, in addition to other remedies available to the Federal Government, the department or agency with which this transaction originated may pursue available remedies, including suspension and/or debarment.
10. The prospective lower tier participant certifies, by submission of this proposal, that neither it nor its principals are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for disbarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any Federal department or agency.
11. Where the prospective lower tier participant is unable to certify to any of the statements in this certification, such prospective participant shall attach an explanation to this proposal.